Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-08
SNAKE IN A BARROOM..
A Five Foot ".tattIcr" starts
Panic at the Pulaski House.


Panic AT the Pulaski House.
gang OF cowboys with 3S-calibre re-
volyers never cleared out Western sa-
loon in shorter order than a crowd in the
Pulaski House bar was dispersed last
night. AS they rushed peli.mell through
the Bull street doors, the first thought OF
passers-by was that another earthquake
was coming. 1t WAS neither cowboy
nor an earthquake, but something fully
as terrible, full grown adult "rattler-"
The workmen who are cutting bushes
up the river for the "mattresses" 10 be
used in the jetties, caught ais snakeship
and sent him down to Col. John Gaynor,
the government contractor. They had
Gagged the reptile in a rough box, across
the top OF which were nailed barrel
staye or two and single. Box and
contents were placed in the barr00m tor
safe keeping until morning, as the night
clerk objected TO having the snake in the
office or around the lobby. Nearly
everybody who entered the bar caught
sight Of the box and tried to form an idea
OF the rattler's size by peering through
the cracks in the box.
One young man from an interior county
finally dropped in and WAS approaching
the box by lett obilque movement when
he cArOmed on the soap box lying On the
floor.
Instantly the reptile set off his alarm
clock rattle at rate which sounded as If
his tail was making ] 200 revolutions a
minute. The ruralisJ recognized the
sound, ana the leap that he made would
have broken the best amateurs record IN
the country If 1t had been measured.
In some way the box was overturned,
aud one of the slaves which was inse-
curely fastened came on. Out darted
head as wide on top as the palm OF an
ordinary mans hand. Two feet or more
OF snake shot out after the head like
blow straight from the shoulder. In less
Than half a second three feet more of the
reptile had wriggled out on the floor and
cOiled up midway between the counter
and the cracker shelf.
A doZen or fifteen men had been standing
around, the most of them within pace OF
the box. Half dozen glasses OF beer and
lemonade had just been set out. The
thirsty and the curious were alarmed by
yell. and all Rrasped the situation 30
quickly that stop watch couldn't have
taken the time. Some made break tor
the billiard room and the rest for Bun
street. But all could not get through the
doorway at one time, and tour who were
Ia the rear jumped for the counter and
clambered up on it.
The bartenders couldn't see what had
rate idea, and they too climbed up en- the
counter. Tue reptile just remained coiled
up and showed his ire by darling out his
forked tongue and trying to lash the air
into foam with his rattle. Re was boss
of the bar for the moment, and could
have had white seal champagne il he had
called for it, or could have gone and
taken 1t without being molested. IT he
had started towards the counter those on
a hnty tod a In hrT
man fly act and would have tried to walk
on the ceiling.
In the course Of a couple of minutes the
panic began TO subsido. Two or three
parties who had. been playing billiards
cautiously advanced on the snake with
cues and succeeded in pinioning him to
the floor without hurting him much.
Then a piece OF wire screen was OBJ
tanned and nailed on the box, an opening
being left to slip the reptile in. With
mucn caution aud difficulty that was ac-
complished, ana those who were up on
the counter were told they might come
down in safety. They said the snake
looked to be s feet long, but that Is con-
sidered by others to be an eXaggeration
OF about feet. A NO. IL cuff would
not 20 around his body in the largest
part. Two OF his fangs were taken out
by the men when they caught him, which
they did by placing forked stick on his
neck and then slipping moose over his
head. The reptile Is said to have two
| smaller tangs left. Several OF his rattles
were broken off in dragging him to the
camp. During the night his mate follow
ed alter him half a mile from where he
was captured and was found in the morn
! ing and killed.
Col. Gaynor intends to send the snake
| to Ed Stokes, proprietor OF the Hoffman
" IN
place in a case in his bar among the
costly pictures with which it is hung.
The reptile is remarkably vicious ana
keeps his rattle going for an hour at a
| time when disturbed.